Effect of a novel somatostatin analogue combined with cytotoxic drugs on human tumour xenografts and metastasis of B16 melanoma

A novel somatostatin analogue, TT-232 (which inhibits the proliferation of various cell cultures and transplantable mouse tumours), was examined regarding its effect on human melanoma and lymphoma xenografts as a single treatment or in combination with DTIC (dacarbazine) and etoposide. TT-232 inhibited the growth of HT-18 melanoma xenografts, a dose of 5 mg kg(-1) being the most effective. Combination of 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232 with 30 or 60 mg kg(-1) DTIC (administered daily) resulted in a stronger inhibitory effect compared to TT-232 or DTIC as a single modality. Antimetastatic effect of TT-232 treatment combined with DTIC was studied using the B16 mouse melanoma muscle - lung metastasis model. The number of lung metastases of B16 melanoma could be decreased by the daily administration of 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232 or 60 mg kg(-1), but not of 30 mg kg(-1) DTIC. TT-232, combined with 30 or 60 mg kg(-1) DTIC decreased the lung metastasis number significantly lower than the control. Nearly 50% growth inhibition of HT-58 lymphoma was achieved by daily treatment with 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232. 5 mg kg(-1) etoposide, administered daily, resulted in a similar effect. The combination of 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232 and 5 mg kg(-1) etoposide was significantly more effective than TT-232 or etoposide as a single treatment. The very strong tumour growth inhibitory effect of 10 mg kg(-1) etoposide could even be increased by combination with TT-232. These experimental data suggest that TT-232 may be an effective new tool in the combination chemotherapy of malignant tumours like melanoma and lymphoma.

Anti-inflammatory effect of synthetic somatostatin analogues in the rat

1. Somatostatin (6.11 nmol kg(-1) i.p.) inhibited neurogenic plasma extravasation evoked by 1% mustard oil and non-neurogenic oedema induced by 5% dextran in the rat skin. 2. Cyclic synthetic octapeptide (TT-248 and TT-250) and heptapeptide (TT-232) somatostatin analogues proved to be more effective in reducing neurogenic and non-neurogenic inflammatory reactions but octreotide had no influence on either neurogenic or non-neurogenic inflammation. 3. TT-232 administered i.p. or i.v. (1.06 - 42.40 nmol kg(-1)) inhibited in a dose-dependent manner the plasma extravasation evoked by mustard oil in the rat's paw. Neither diclofenac (15.78 - 315.60 micromol kg(-1)) nor the selective COX-2 inhibitor meloxicam (2.95 - 569.38 micromol kg(-1)) attenuated the mustard oil-induced neurogenic plasma extravasation. 4. TT-232, diclofenac and meloxicam dose-dependently diminished non-neurogenic dextran-oedema of the paw the ED(35) values were 1.73 nmol kg(-1) for TT-232 and 34.37 micromol kg(-1) for diclofenac. 5. TT-232 inhibited in the dose range of 1.06 - 21.21 nmol kg(-1) the bradykinin-induced plasma extravasation in the skin of the chronically denervated paw. 6. Mustard oil-induced cutaneous plasma extravasation was dose-dependently diminished by s.c. TT-232 1, 2, 4, 6 or 16 h after the treatment. TT-232 (2 x 106, 2 x 212 and 2 x 530 nmol kg(-1) per day s.c. for 18 days) caused dose-dependent inhibition of chronic Freund adjuvant-induced arthritis during the experimental period. 7. TT-232 (200 and 500 nM) inhibited the release of SP, CGRP and somatostatin from the rat isolated trachea induced by electrical field stimulation (40 V, 0.1 ms, 10 Hz, 120 s) or by capsaicin (10(-7) M), but did not influence the basal, non-stimulated peptide release. 8. It is concluded that somatostatin analogues without endocrine functions as TT-232 are promising compounds with a novel site of action for inhibition of non-neurogenic and neurogenic inflammatory processes.